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Madera and Majagual

Besides the beautiful La Flor Wildlife Preserve south of San Juan del Sur, there are beautiful beaches just to the north of the town. I invited the Canadian girls for a day at the beach and then we drove about 5 miles north to Madera (photo above). It was a beautiful sand beach nestled up against the jungle with rocky outcrops on both sides. We enjoyed a little time on the beach in the sun and got in a little swimming time.

On the northern end of the beach were some jagged rocks that formed all kinds of avenues for the raging surf to come in creating small tide pools. We explored all around the rugged sea shore and looked inside of the tidal pools at tiny fish, starfish and all kinds of ocean creatures that hid in the small pools. When we posed for a photo along the rocks; it was quite a challenge to set the timer and then run all the way around the inlet before the photo fired.

To the north (photo below) is Majagual Beach also known for its beautiful sand and views. There were no other people on the beach and we really enjoyed having the place all to ourselves. Having grown up in Los Angeles with millions of people at the beach each weekend it was very nice to have an entire beach without other people. It was very quiet and clean and aside from the wind and surf and the occasional chirp of a seagull it was still and quiet. Having my own car was really beneficial because I could drive to more remote areas than other backpackers who had to rely on public transportation. If you are ever in San Juan del Sur, I recommend that you get out to some of the outlying beaches; bring a lunch and some drinks, it really is a wonderful experience.

As we walked from tide pool to tide pool we finally came across a tiny octopus (photo below, he’s hiding under the rock on the right and has 5 dark & spotted legs sticking out). He had his arms outstretched and was hunting for baby fish. As they swam by, he would latch on with his arm and then pull them in under his rock to devour them. When I put my finger in the water he pulled his legs in very quickly and then after I hid, he put them out again.

While we were in the ocean swimming we noticed a rainbow over the jungle. I waded back to shore and then swam out with my camera to capture a shot of the rainbow from the vantage of the ocean. Of course I was quite nervous to take my camera into the water as I did not want to get it wet. I wished that they made a waterproof camera (something that the market would not correct for 8 or 9 years).

After a long day of sun bathing, swimming, exploring and hiking we eventually drove back to our hotel. After a hot shower we headed over to Ricardo’s for dinner and a cold beer. And, as it does every evening, the sun treated us to a spectacular show. San Juan del Sur is a beautiful and magical place and I can’t wait to get back and visit again.